As schools try to balance their budgets while keeping up with always-increasing expenses, they are looking more to families and parent-teacher organizations to help with school supplies, field trips and other programs. Doing a little can sometimes go a long way. Below are some funding ideas that you … [Read more...] about Easy ways to give back to your kids’ school
Throw a memorable kids’ birthday party for less
The birthday dilemma: Parents want their children to have great childhood memories – but is it necessary to dish out the big bucks for an expensive kid’s birthday party? The short answer is no. When I did an impromptu poll with my kids, my daughter piped in right away that her … [Read more...] about Throw a memorable kids’ birthday party for less
How to save money on a kids’ birthday party at home
You’ve taken the first money-saving step by mustering the courage to host a kids’ birthday party at your home. Now you're wondering, how do I keep this group of kids entertained, make the party memorable and stay within my budget — all at the same time? Below are some cost-saving birthday … [Read more...] about How to save money on a kids’ birthday party at home
Free coding classes and apps for kids
As a parent who graduated in the '80s, I found the list of classes looked like a foreign language: Learn to Run Linux, The Easy Way with Scratch, Learn to Build with Unity, Explore with Arduino. To me, they all sounded intriguing, but would my son agree? After reading through the list, … [Read more...] about Free coding classes and apps for kids
Lego mania: Finding the best Lego deals
As I read my son’s Christmas wish list (aka the Santa List) this year, I was secretly hoping for more variety, but there it was — all Legos again. With age came sophistication for which Lego products he wanted, but so came an increase in price. It was getting more difficult to find a … [Read more...] about Lego mania: Finding the best Lego deals
Free Play Soccer lets kids play and saves parents money
I love that I am a parent of a talented athlete. I dislike the fact that it drains my pocketbook. I never thought in a million years I would turn into one of those on-the-go “soccer moms.” But here I am, red minivan and all, driving across two states to my daughter’s first traveling weekend soccer … [Read more...] about Free Play Soccer lets kids play and saves parents money